Patty
2003-11-14 03:30:43 UTC
Posted on Thu, Nov. 13, 2003
Detective: Scott Peterson returned to marina and eluded a tail
By Brian Anderson
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
MODESTO - Scott Peterson repeatedly trekked to the Berkeley Marina in the weeks following
his wife's disappearance, stopping only briefly at the shore before trying to ditch
tailing authorities, a detective said in court today.
Also today, the lawyer for the 27-year-old massage therapist Peterson had an affair with
before his wife vanished Christmas Eve is no longer expected to testify, she told
reporters.
The developments came on the ninth day of Peterson's preliminary hearing, a day that
provided some of the greatest details yet in the high-profile case.
In his final day on the witness stand, Modesto police Detective Al Brocchini testified
that Peterson visited the marina Jan. 5, Jan. 6 and Jan. 9.
He said Modesto police officers followed Peterson on Jan. 5 as he drove to the marina in a
silver Subaru. The man had come home earlier that morning in his wife Laci's Landrover,
changed his clothes and left for the 90-minute ride to the Bay, he said.
From the marina parking lot, Peterson stared at the waters and left a few minutes later,
Brocchini said.
A day later, Peterson drove a rented car the roughly 85-mile route again, Brocchini said.
He once again gazed out at the waters for several minutes and then left.
With police officers behind, he used "counter surveillance" tactics, Brocchini said. He
pulled to the side of the freeway, made mid-block U-turns and drove erratically,
successfully losing investigators, the detective testified.
On Jan. 9, it was more of the same, Brocchini said. Peterson loaded suitcases into a truck
and left for Berkeley. He circled the lot, and again stared at the water, Brocchini said.
Peterson left, driving four hours south to a reservoir near San Luis Obispo, stopping
overnight at a Bakersfield hotel.
In heated questioning, Los Angeles attorney Mark Geragos, who represents Peterson, said
his client went to the Bay on days when articles about a search of the waters appeared in
the Modesto Bee. Peterson also might have gone to the marina to track down city workers
who saw him put his boat in the water, Geragos said.
Geragos said Brocchini failed to ask questions that did not jibe with his theory that
Peterson killed his pregnant wife on Dec. 23 or Dec. 24 and dumped her in San Francisco
Bay.
"We tried to ask him a lot of things," Brocchini said. "Scott was lying to us."
To which Geragos replied: "He was lying to you because he wasn't giving you the answers
you wanted to hear."
Peterson was arrested April 18, days after his wife's remains and those of their unborn
son surfaced on the shoreline at Richmond. Modesto police detective Philip Owen testified
Thursday that a pair of tan maternity pants were discovered on Laci's remains and a
12-18-inch length of duct tape plastered to her groin area.
Owen described autopsy photos of the body and the Point Isabel site where it was
discovered. Laci's mother and friends left the courtroom just before Owen began discussing
the photos.
Peterson showed no emotion.
The man told authorities he was fishing the day his wife disappeared and launched his boat
at the Berkeley Marina. He has denied killing Laci and is being held without bail in the
Stanislaus County Jail in Modesto.
Peterson's lawyers continued to focus on what they said was a misdirected and bungled
police investigation.
Geragos accused law enforcement officials of mishandling evidence, including a hair found
in pliers pulled from Peterson's boat. Mitochondrial DNA experts have said it hair likely
came from Laci.
Geragos has asked Judge Al Girolami to bar the evidence from the preliminary hearing. The
science behind testing procedures is riddled with flaws, a defense expert has testified.
Girolami said he will hear final arguments Friday on whether to admit it. A decision is
expected by Monday.
News also surfaced Thursday that Frey, one of the case's most anticipated witnesses, will
not take the stand. Her lawyer, Gloria Allred of Los Angeles, said prosecutors simply
decided not to call the woman.
"Miss Frey has been a victim of Scott Peterson's deception," Allred said. "The defense
might have chosen to re-victimize her."
Frey met Peterson through a mutual friend, whom he had asked to set him up with someone,
Brocchini testified. The friend later discovered Peterson was married.
Peterson told her he informed some people he was married and others that he was not
married because he recently lost his wife, Brocchini said. Peterson begged the woman not
to tell Frey, saying he would rather do it himself.
Allred would not disclose what Frey's reaction to the news was.
Owen will return to the stand Friday.
Detective: Scott Peterson returned to marina and eluded a tail
By Brian Anderson
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
MODESTO - Scott Peterson repeatedly trekked to the Berkeley Marina in the weeks following
his wife's disappearance, stopping only briefly at the shore before trying to ditch
tailing authorities, a detective said in court today.
Also today, the lawyer for the 27-year-old massage therapist Peterson had an affair with
before his wife vanished Christmas Eve is no longer expected to testify, she told
reporters.
The developments came on the ninth day of Peterson's preliminary hearing, a day that
provided some of the greatest details yet in the high-profile case.
In his final day on the witness stand, Modesto police Detective Al Brocchini testified
that Peterson visited the marina Jan. 5, Jan. 6 and Jan. 9.
He said Modesto police officers followed Peterson on Jan. 5 as he drove to the marina in a
silver Subaru. The man had come home earlier that morning in his wife Laci's Landrover,
changed his clothes and left for the 90-minute ride to the Bay, he said.
From the marina parking lot, Peterson stared at the waters and left a few minutes later,
Brocchini said.
A day later, Peterson drove a rented car the roughly 85-mile route again, Brocchini said.
He once again gazed out at the waters for several minutes and then left.
With police officers behind, he used "counter surveillance" tactics, Brocchini said. He
pulled to the side of the freeway, made mid-block U-turns and drove erratically,
successfully losing investigators, the detective testified.
On Jan. 9, it was more of the same, Brocchini said. Peterson loaded suitcases into a truck
and left for Berkeley. He circled the lot, and again stared at the water, Brocchini said.
Peterson left, driving four hours south to a reservoir near San Luis Obispo, stopping
overnight at a Bakersfield hotel.
In heated questioning, Los Angeles attorney Mark Geragos, who represents Peterson, said
his client went to the Bay on days when articles about a search of the waters appeared in
the Modesto Bee. Peterson also might have gone to the marina to track down city workers
who saw him put his boat in the water, Geragos said.
Geragos said Brocchini failed to ask questions that did not jibe with his theory that
Peterson killed his pregnant wife on Dec. 23 or Dec. 24 and dumped her in San Francisco
Bay.
"We tried to ask him a lot of things," Brocchini said. "Scott was lying to us."
To which Geragos replied: "He was lying to you because he wasn't giving you the answers
you wanted to hear."
Peterson was arrested April 18, days after his wife's remains and those of their unborn
son surfaced on the shoreline at Richmond. Modesto police detective Philip Owen testified
Thursday that a pair of tan maternity pants were discovered on Laci's remains and a
12-18-inch length of duct tape plastered to her groin area.
Owen described autopsy photos of the body and the Point Isabel site where it was
discovered. Laci's mother and friends left the courtroom just before Owen began discussing
the photos.
Peterson showed no emotion.
The man told authorities he was fishing the day his wife disappeared and launched his boat
at the Berkeley Marina. He has denied killing Laci and is being held without bail in the
Stanislaus County Jail in Modesto.
Peterson's lawyers continued to focus on what they said was a misdirected and bungled
police investigation.
Geragos accused law enforcement officials of mishandling evidence, including a hair found
in pliers pulled from Peterson's boat. Mitochondrial DNA experts have said it hair likely
came from Laci.
Geragos has asked Judge Al Girolami to bar the evidence from the preliminary hearing. The
science behind testing procedures is riddled with flaws, a defense expert has testified.
Girolami said he will hear final arguments Friday on whether to admit it. A decision is
expected by Monday.
News also surfaced Thursday that Frey, one of the case's most anticipated witnesses, will
not take the stand. Her lawyer, Gloria Allred of Los Angeles, said prosecutors simply
decided not to call the woman.
"Miss Frey has been a victim of Scott Peterson's deception," Allred said. "The defense
might have chosen to re-victimize her."
Frey met Peterson through a mutual friend, whom he had asked to set him up with someone,
Brocchini testified. The friend later discovered Peterson was married.
Peterson told her he informed some people he was married and others that he was not
married because he recently lost his wife, Brocchini said. Peterson begged the woman not
to tell Frey, saying he would rather do it himself.
Allred would not disclose what Frey's reaction to the news was.
Owen will return to the stand Friday.